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Walk it Off at Ixtapan
Just back from a miserably humid and hot New York sidewalk power walk. I re-started walking during my first visit to Ixtapan. A former runner, walking was boring, so gradually I stopped altogether. At Ixtapan, the daily walk is 7AM during cool sunrise-August is cool. No hot pavement, minimum humidity and wide open mountainous vistas. What is sublime, is someone else has coffee and a recently picked banana ready at 6:30AM. Some guests do not walk, but if you enjoy it, read here. …
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Rocks and Bad Backs
Yikes my favorite suitcase’s handle broke on a Women’s Travel Group tour! In investigating for a replacement, I came up with a primer on choosing a suitcase for schleppers with bad backs.
The Women’s Travel Group suitcase tips Size: If you want carry on, don’t just trust a sales tag. Bring A tape and measure before you buy. 22 x 14 x 9, is official max carry on size for most airlines. This includes wheels, and handles. For Einsteins, calculate what are called linear inches; 62 linear inches is the max for a carry on. …
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Summer Travel Scares
One of my favorite travel columnists published a list of what travelers fear this Summer. Once you read about the solutions, you can relax.
Traveling during a Heat Wave in Northern Italy. Delays and cancellations are the number one fear. If you are worried about delays or cancellations and need solace, follow this list. Check the incoming plane’s ETA for your flight on any flight tracker type site. Several are FlightAware, Flightradar24 or links to flight tracking on your local airport site. …
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Surviving Economy Seating
Recently I flew in ‘the back of the bus’ from from New York to London. This is a trip that should be 6 hours or so, but is usually delayed a bit on the tarmac. The delay makes it 7 hours West to East and 8 East to West. I usually upgrade if not too $$$, but this time, I went coach.
Cruise Gals in France June 2025 Here is what I learned.
Try for an aisle seat. Don’t fret if you are the middle passenger; follow our suggestions to make any flight more comfortable.…
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Are You Afraid of Immigration?
Has the press convinced you to be afraid of Border Crossings? The Women’s Travel Group received 2 calls about border worry. Should you be afraid of immigration personnel here or in
Europe or in Mexico or of TSA? USA Today reports that people are increasingly anxious crossing borders, especially if they have unusual visas or complicated paperwork issues. Since 911 border officials have been more vigilant and that continues to today. …
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Smart Phone, Basic Travel Uses.
Today I read that the iPhone is 18 years old. Many senior women own new or newish iPhones but still cannot use them for basic travel needs. Five baby skills to learn today are:
Where to store travel documents. Too many women tell us they cannot find documents they received by email? Most smart phones allow you to put a star next to an important email, say the 24/7 number for our Paris Cruise in May. Do it. Better and quicker, if you need the document: download the attachments. …
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Are You a River Rat?
Viva River Cruise A Primer about River Cruises from The Women’s Travel Group
Rivers flow in one direction; from higher elevations downstream. The direction of the river is your compass to identify the right bank and the left bank. Now you know what the Right and Left Banks of Paris are and what it means.
VIVA River Cruise 
Our balcony cabins on VIVA Cruise River cruises dock, changing from one side of the river to the other, usually every other day, so all cabins have equal views.…
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Senior Flyers on Airplanes
Traveling with us on our Festival Celebration India Trip? To Greece with us? OR on our Seine and Paris River Cruise? Or other tours in 2025? Here is how to survive inside and out. After flights, you will feel dried out from your head to your toes. Nails might crack. Hair feels dusty. Your face has difficulty smiling. Arms and legs are tight and dehydrated. These effects are worst for senior women. Why? Planes are usually at 20% humidity vs normal of 50% for most other us.…
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Food: Hot or Not?
I love to eat but am not what you might call a “Foodie”. Foodie usually means someone who has a strong interest in food, as in creating a hobby around food.There are some foods which drive me directly to book a trip. There are others I must bring home. There is a third category of affordable food gifts.
Start with India: some women are concerned about spiciness or about raw foods.
Here are the surprises: Up front breakfast at the quality hotels we stay in has European, often Japanese, Indian and American breakfast.…
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Travel with a new Adminstration
The Women’s Travel Group summarizes what the experts expect for the next 4 years. Are they right? Optimistic or Pessimistic? Do they all agree? A broad brush of the Administration’s general policies: less regulation? more monopolies? privatization? tight immigration rules?
Womens Travel Group in the Yucatan Industry experts like the newsletter Skift write that restrictive visa and immigration policies might reduce in bound tourism. For us traveling Americans, fewer seasonal laborers damage travel services in airports and train stations, in restaurants and related services.…
